MICHAEL McConville was speaking as the Sinn Fein leader was released without charge after being questioned by police about the murder.

THE SON of murdered Belfast woman Jean McConville has called for an independent investigation by a team from outside Northern Ireland so no political pressure is applied.

Michael McConville has described as an 11-year-old boy watching his mother be dragged in fear from her home in Divis flats in west Belfast by neighbours whom he recognised.

But he said he was too afraid to give their names in case he or his family are shot.

He said tonight: "We would like to see all the investigations taken out of Northern Ireland, we would like an independent body to do this so there is no political pressure on the police."

Mr McConville also vowed that his family's fight for justice would go on and said recent days had been difficult and stressful.

"The McConville family is going to stay to the bitter end of this till we get justice for our mother.

"We know it is going to be a long road but we have already been fighting for justice for 40 years and we are not going to stop now."

He expressed confidence in the police. "We know in the last while back that there's been political people pushing for people to be let go and we think there has been interference in different cases and we don't want any interference in this case by any political party."

Mr McConville was left orphaned by the murder, with he and the rest of his siblings put in different homes.

He said last week that he never believed Gerry Adams would be arrested but added tonight he did not know what information police had about him.